Dreams and Nightmares
by imagination-running
Summary: Hera once told Annabeth and Percy they would regret disrespecting her. This was far more than they expected. Don't anger the gods. *Trigger warning: sensitive topics and some ever so slightly graphic material* 1-shot
"Dreams and Nightmares"

"I'm pregnant!"

Percy's head jerked from looking at the television where the meteorologist was predicting yet another round of snow for NYC in two days to look at his 24-year old wife who was standing in the doorway of the living room from the hallway. She had a white stick in her hand. Her gray eyes were wide, and she was biting back a grin, waiting on his response. He felt his own mouth open into a wide smile as he jumped up from the couch and across the room in three bounds before grabbing her upper arms. "Really! Are you sure?"

She nodded, the smile finally released. "Yeah, I am. Look."

He took the proffered stick and looked at the little pink lines that indicated that Annabeth was in fact carrying their child in her womb. He whooped loudly and pulled her into a hug, kissing her face all over. "We're having a baby! We're having a baby!"

Annabeth laughed and hugged him back. At last, she captured his lips with her own, and yeah, it was hard to kiss while smiling from ear to ear, but they did their best and didn't care how sloppy it was. It only made them laugh more. Percy was sure that they could have lit up Tartarus itself in that moment. It was a joy he thought that no one could ever take from them.

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Percy had never hated being wrong so badly in his life. It had been two weeks since they had learned that they were expecting a baby. Everything had been perfect. Annabeth had a doctor appointment set up that wouldn't occur for another two weeks, and based on her research and calculations, she was already six weeks along. She hadn't even had any morning sickness, for which they were both thankful. But then Saturday came.

Annabeth hadn't been feeling her best on Friday night and had gone to bed early. She had said she was just really tired and had a bit of a headache. Percy had wanted to ask her how she was feeling when he went to bed two hours later, but she was sleeping soundly. Instead, he just kissed her forehead and went to sleep, also. At five in the morning, he was awakened by Annabeth's gasp of pain and jerking straight up in bed. He was up instantly, too, thinking she had had a nightmare. Granted, they didn't have them nearly as often after seven years, but every now and again, one would find them, leaving them just as scared and disoriented as they did when the war with Gaea had first ended.

However, he soon realized that it was not a nightmare, at least not the kind he was thinking of, that was to blame. Annabeth was grasping her stomach, her face pale and twisted in pain, whimpering, and as his eyes adjusted to the light, Percy noticed blood on the sheets.

"Percy," she gasped, "Something's wrong."

He was already out of bed, slipping on a pair of flipflops, and reaching for their coats. Within a half an hour, Percy was watching as a nurse wheeled his wife deeper into the ER while the lady at the desk was reading the admission forms to him and writing out his answers. Thanks to his dyslexia, worry, and stress, he couldn't have read or spelled his own name correctly at that point.

Fifteen minutes later, he was pacing the waiting room when a doctor came in looking for him. One look at the woman's face, and Percy knew. He remembered his own face making that look when he had to tell someone that their friend...loved one...sibling...child had died. He sank into a chair. The doctor came and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jackson. Your wife had already miscarried. There was nothing we could do. She is asking for you."

Percy looked up at the woman and nodded. Taking a shuddering breath, he pushed himself out of the chair. Annabeth needed him.

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They grieved quietly. Just one month after they lost their baby, Jason and Piper announced that they were expecting their first child, and in an effort to not dampen their happiness, they kept their grief to themselves. Besides, they were hoping that one day, they would be able to try again. It was still too soon, too fresh, at that time to even think too much about that, but one day. It was enough that their parents knew and helped them through it all.

Seven months passed. Piper gave birth to a baby girl on September 27th. She was beautiful. Seven pounds, one ounce, eighteen inches long, and a healthy set of lungs. Annabeth and Percy agreed to take in little Ava if something were to happen to Jason and Piper. Actually, being sorta-kinda godparents to their honorary niece seemed to breath new life into their dream of having their own family. And they finally dared to think that maybe they could try again.

Therefore, it was with a small grin, a hope, and a breath of fear, they welcomed the news of Annabeth's second pregnancy right in time for Thanksgiving. They were cautious and excited as they entered December with everything still going smoothly, except for occasional, mild morning sickness for Annabeth and a bad head cold for Percy. As they approached Christmas, they began to think of fun ways to tell their friends the news. At the two week mark since they confirmed the pregnancy, Annabeth had pulled out the nursery plans she had started immediately with the first baby and had put away just as quickly after the miscarriage.

Leo was planning to propose at the annual Christmas Eve party, and everyone except Calypso knew it. Annabeth had been roped into helping him come up with the perfect plan – daughter of Athena and everything. Piper had to make sure it met all romantic standards – daughter of Aphrodite. Hazel was supposed to approve the plan's sweetness and personal touches – former southerner and all around nice person. Leo was in charge of the humor, the ring, and the man, of course. And the other guys were threatened with a lifetime of pranks specially designed by Leo if they did anything more than just sit and watch quietly. Really, the girls all agreed that he ought to just simply ask, but Leo and simple just did not jive. Over the top was the order of the day. Everyone hoped that Calypso knew what she was getting herself into.

Then, it happened, one week, to the day, before the big party, Annabeth decided to work from home due to morning sickness and fatigue. And at around noon, she called Percy on his emergency cell phone. "Percy, you need to leave work. I'm on my way to the doctor's office. I'm having a lot of cramps and some spotting."

Percy felt his heart go cold. Not again, he thought. He prayed to the gods as he rushed from the aquarium to Annabeth's doctor's office. He met her at the door. She was rushed into an empty room by the staff. Percy stayed with her. She was in tears from fear and cramps and had started bleeding more heavily. Percy held her hand as the doctor did an ultrasound, examined her, and worked to stop the bleeding. Several minutes later, he sat up and sighed. The sound was too heavy, the look in his eyes too helpless. He shook his head as he pulled the sheet back down over Annabeth's legs. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. It's too late. I'll have the nurse schedule a follow-up appointment." He went on to explain about signs of hemorrhaging and after care details as he washed his hands. "Take all the time you need in here," he finally said before slipping out of the door.

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They were at the party a week later exchanging gifts with their friends. Grover and Juniper's four year old boy Oakley played in the floor with his bubble set that Percy and Annabeth had bought for him. Leo's over the top proposal went off without a hitch, a ton of laughs, and an ecstatic yes from Calypso. Baby Ava was spoiled by being held, bounced, and tickled by everyone, even Percy and Annabeth. Though, they found that they had to pass her off to someone else much quicker than they normally would because it was just too painful. Soon after the proposal, Percy claimed he was getting a headache since he was still fighting a bit of that persistent head cold, and the two were able to leave early without anyone being any the wiser as to the real reason why. They later found themselves holding one another and crying as they lay on their bed in their all too quiet and empty home.

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It was March. The weather was finally starting to warm up by a fraction, and spring kept hinting it was trying to break through the firm grip of winter. It had been such a long winter. Halfway through January, Juniper and Grover had announced they were expecting their second baby. In February, Calypso and Leo had finally come to a decision on their wedding date of June 21st because the summer solstice seemed like a good plan to the Titan. And all the rounds of good news had seemed to only highlight the sorrow that Percy and Annabeth felt and fought every day.

Sadly, sorrow wasn't the only thing they fought. Their grief, frustration, and pent up anger at the gods left them fighting each other more and more often. Their fights seemed to escalate in severity and frequency. Grover had even asked Percy about it, having noticed through the empathy link that something seemed off with his best friend. Percy had played it off as work stress, trying not to mar the happiness of his friend. Even the others seemed to notice, but other than to occasionally ask how they were, they didn't nose into the Jackson's business.

"I can't keep doing this!" Annabeth cried as she slammed the skillet of chicken onto the counter. She had tears streaming down her face. She had lost weight over the winter. She was paler than normal, and her hair seemed frizzier. Percy knew he wasn't much better. He ate less and trained and worked out more. They both slept less. He had noticed just the other day that his hair felt thinner and definitely had more shining gray strands than it had had not so long ago.

"Can't keep doing what?" Percy asked.

"This! We've got to make a decision, stop fighting, accept our circumstances. Hera hates us, Percy. She's not going to let us have...kids. We have to accept that. We know...We both know that's what happened."

Percy came around the counter to her. He pulled her away from the stove, turned her to him, and held her face as gently as he knew how. He could feel her trembling. All the grief, pain, and dashed dreams crashed around them. He leaned his forehead against hers, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he whispered, "I know, Wise girl. I know. I'm sorry. This isn't your fault or mine, but you're right. We can't keep going on like this. I'm sorry. I love you – so much."

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Things slowly got a little better. Percy and Annabeth started to find some happiness in their quiet life. They began to try to accept that it would always just be the two of them. However, they still fought. It wasn't quite as often or intense – most of the time – as it had been that winter, but they couldn't quite shake the last dregs of bitterness they felt about the childless life they had been dealt. The birth of Rose Underwood in mid-April had not helped matters, but they had been careful to keep that from disrupting the joy and excitement of their friends.*

As the date for Leo and Calypso's wedding drew near, tensions and stress were high with everyone, to a degree. Piper and Jason were both in the wedding as a bridesmaid and the best man. Percy was a groomsman, along with Frank. Rachel, who had become best friends with Calypso, was the maid of honor, and Hazel was the other bridesmaid. Not having another part to play in the wedding, Annabeth had volunteered herself to be the wedding planner, and she was feeling the pressure to get everything right, for it to all be perfect, if only because that was how she did everything.

Percy was feeling a little neglected. He knew that was unfair, but Father's Day had just passed days before. He had taken a card and a Barnes and Noble gift card to Paul, Iris-messaged his dad for a few minutes, and then crashed at home to wallow in a bit of self-pity (which he felt he deserved, thank you very much). He knew that Annabeth was busy with last minute details of the wedding, and he knew that planning anything was her form of therapy, but he really just wanted her to curl up with him on the couch watching as many movies from the Avengers franchise as possible and ignore the world on that one day until it was over. However, he had been left to his own devices on Father's Day, and now that Leo and Calypso had finally exchanged vows and flown off on Festus for their honeymoon, he just wanted her attention, as childish as that sounded.

"Please, Annabeth, don't worry about the clean-up. The nymphs said they've got it. Let's just go home and relax for awhile."

She whipped around, her heels clacking on the pavilion floor, skirt swirling around her legs, an irritated fire in her eyes. "I promised to make sure that everything was taken care of, Jackson. If you're so tired, just go home by yourself. I'll be there when I get there," she snapped at him. This fight had been building and going on for days in bits and spurts, and it had finally reached its head.

Nymphs, harpies, and people averted their eyes and tried to clear up the mess without being noticed. Percy inhaled through his nose and released it in a huff. "Fine. Make sure every last streamer gets put in the trash can properly, Chase. I'll get out of your way." He turned on his heel and marched to the New Greece side of the beach.

He didn't stop when he got there. He just walked right out into the water, suit and all. He was so angry, so hurt that he couldn't think straight, so he swam and let the currents take him where they willed. As went, he created whirlpools almost powerful enough to be considered underwater hurricanes, and he continued deeper and deeper into the ocean. At last, exhaustion overtook him, and he edged his way into an underwater cave where he collapsed on the sand and fell into a dream-filled, fitful sleep.

When Percy woke up, he had no idea what time it was, but he felt like he had been asleep for hours. He was sure it was the next day, and he felt terrible because Annabeth had probably come home to an empty house and had been worried and searching for him ever since. Gods, he was stupid and a crap-tastic husband.

Percy came up on the shore right behind his house on the New Greece beach. The sun was just barely starting to peek above the horizon, and there was Annabeth, wrapped in a blanket, asleep on the beach with dried tear tracks tracing down her cheeks. She was still in her chiton style dress, and one of the straps had fallen off her shoulder. He sat down beside her, brushing her hair out of her face and running his thumb down her cheek. She sighed a little and leaned into his touch. He kissed her lips gently and lay down beside her, snuggling up next to her under the blanket. She wiggled a little and opened her gray eyes.

"Percy," she breathed as she reached up to cup his cheek. "I'm so sorry. After you left, I realized how selfish I've been, how I've not been paying you any mind, getting absorbed in the wedding planning, and gods how I had just ignored you all of Father's Day. On Mother's Day, you just held me and were right there the whole time, and I completely ignored you when you were hurting. And I got here, and you weren't home, and I just knew, I just knew you had gone off into the water. I thought...I didn't know...I'm just so glad you're home. And I'm sorry. Can you ever-"

Percy cut her off with a kiss. "I'm sorry, too, Annabeth. I love you." Another kiss. "I shouldn't have stormed off like that." Another kiss. "This is hard on you, too. I should have been more understa-"

It was his turn to be cut off with a kiss – a searing, desperate kiss, that left him breathless and aching for more. Gods, they hadn't kissed like that since...He wasn't even sure when. He really didn't care, either, as he swooped her up in his arms and carried her into the house, stumbling around and kissing her every few feet – just needing her.

Her kisses were just as needy and heated. Their fingers fumbled around trying to get past belts and snaps and zippers and ties. Sex had become something scary, rare, and careful, timed out to avoid ovulation days and making sure to use always use condoms to avoid another pregnancy, but this time, they completely forgot about being careful in their aching need to make everything up to one another.

They spent that entire Sunday in bed, working to repair a relationship that had been in pain for so long that they had almost forgotten how to function without it. They talked about the hard stuff and cried. They remembered old times and laughed – and cried a bit, too. They dreamed of the future and actually smiled. They finally, truly released the dreams of children and decided to spend more time with their friends' kids and with the campers. And finally, a sense of peace swept over them, and that night, they slept deeply and soundly and in comfort with one another.

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Five weeks later, Percy sat on the edge of the tub, and Annabeth sat on the toilet lid. They stared at each other with fear, worry, and apprehension visible in every inch of their faces. A positive pregnancy test was on the sink counter.

"Maybe," Percy started. "Maybe it's a sign. I mean we had accepted it, that Hera wasn't going to let us be parents. Maybe she's changed her mind since we were finally okay with it. Maybe she'll let us keep this one."

Annabeth sniffed. "Or maybe we've just condemned another baby to die. Percy, we were stupid. We should have...I should have been more careful."

He reached over to her. "No, no, Annabeth. We're in this together, like always. We'll pray, make sacrifices. Right now, this baby is alive, and we'll fight for this baby. You've done nothing wrong. And even if...even if Hera takes this one, too, it still won't be your fault. You have to know that."

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Three and a half weeks later, Percy's office phone rang. It was from Annabeth's office, but when he answered, it wasn't Annabeth. It was her friend and project partner Jessica Eubanks. "Hey, Percy? This is Jessica."

"Um, hey, Jessica. Is everything okay?"

He heard her suck in her breath. "No, not really. Annabeth collapsed. She was saying she was cramping and needed to leave early, when she suddenly just doubled over in pain, then fell out, and that's when I noticed she was bleeding, a lot more than is normal for a period. The ambulance just left with her. They're taking her to Lenox Hill."

"Oh, no, not again...I got to go, Jess. Thanks."

"You're-"

Percy hung up on her and ran out of his office. "Emergency!" he called to the desk clerk who tried to ask him where he was headed.

Ten minutes later, his emergency cell rang. He pressed the answer button. "Hello!"

"Is this Mr. Jackson?" an unfamiliar female voice asked.

"Yes. I'm in a hurry right now, though, so I don't want whatever you're selling."

"Mr. Jackson," the voice demanded. "I'm not a telemarketer. I'm a nurse at the Lenox Hill Hospital Emergency Room. Your wife Annabeth Jackson was brought in several minutes ago. She was having a miscarriage, and I'm afraid there was nothing we could do to save the baby. But she's currently hemorrhaging. The damage from the miscarriage is extensive, and I'm afraid we're going to have to do surgery to save her life. Do we have your permission?"

Percy swerved. His heart was pounding, blood was rushing in his ears. Had he heard that right? His third child was gone, and Annabeth was bleeding out from damage from the miscarriage. She needed surgery. How much could Hera possibly hate them?

"Mr. Jackson? Mr. Jackson, we need your approval to go on with the surgery immediately."

"What? Um..Yes, yes, of course, whatever it takes. Just please, take care of her."

"We will, Mr. Jackson."

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Percy sat in a waiting room for what felt like a lifetime. He had called his mother and Annabeth's father. He prayed to Athena and Poseidon. He debated calling their friends, but he felt like it would require an explanation of the past pregnancies and miscarriages. And he wasn't up for all of that right then. At last, the large double doors opened, and a doctor came out, his feet still in those little booties, and a mask hanging down under his chin.

"Mr. Jackson?"

Percy stood and walked over to the doctor while everyone else in the waiting room slumped back into their chairs. "I'm Percy Jackson."

The doctor shook Percy's hand. "Come, sit." Percy followed the man to some chairs in a more secluded part of the waiting room. "Mr. Jackson, your wife was loosing a lot of blood when she came in. In fact, we had to give her two units during surgery. However, the real trouble was the damage that had been done to her uterus..."

The man continued, talking of things Percy didn't really understand or even cared to understand. At last he seemed to come to the point of his explanation. "Mr. Jackson, I am sorry, but the damage was too extensive. More extensive than it should have been, really. I've never seen anything like it, but we had to do a hysterectomy. There was no way around it. I am very sorry."

Percy was shaking. He felt like his heart had fallen into his stomach and that his stomach was going to puke it back up at any moment. But Annabeth...He needed to know. "Annabeth? Is she okay? Can I see her?"

"She's resting right now. She should be awake soon. We will keep her overnight just as precaution, but she should be fine. Come, I'll show you to her room."

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Three days. That's how long it took for word to get around that something had gone terribly wrong and that Annabeth had had to have emergency surgery. No one really knew what it was, what had the Jacksons holed up in their little house on the beach, refusing to leave, even for a walk on the shore, which was something they usually did often. Rumors did leak out, though, about Annabeth getting sick at work, Percy rushing off from the aquarium with only one shouted word, and about a rumor that both Athena and Poseidon were, for the first time in basically forever, on the same side of an Olympian argument. Something was wrong, and it was big.

And the Jackson's closest friends were determined to find out what, so two days after Percy had been seen bringing Annabeth home from an overnight stay at presumably the hospital, the Graces, the Valdezes, the Underwoods, Frank, Hazel, and even Nico and Will were walking up the porch steps of the Jackson beach home. Jason rang the doorbell. There was a shuffling sound somewhere within the house, and then the door opened to reveal a very disheveled Percy Jackson. His normally messy hair was a rat's nest. His green eyes were dull and bloodshot. His face covered in nearly week's worth of hair growth. He looked like he had been wearing the same shirt for two days, at least. He was in sweat pants that were from his high school swim team days and was bare-footed. Something about him seemed to almost break at the sight of all of them there, and without a word, he stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, guys. Now's not really a good time for a visit. Annabeth's not...feeling well."

Will cocked his head. "I am a healer, you know. One of the best, in fact."

"The best," Nico corrected.

"Fine. The best, then. Maybe I should go check on her," Will finished.

Percy looked almost confused by Will's offer. After a moment, the statement seemed to sink in, though, and he answered, "No, not like that. Just...tired...and stressed, you know."

"Well, maybe I should give you a check-up. You're looking a little worse for wear yourself," Will interjected, placing a hand on Percy's forehead to check his temperature.

Percy batted his hand away and stepped back. "Dude. No...Just we...We haven't been sleeping well, okay. Really...Just...It's nothing to worry about..."

"No, something is going on," Nico insisted. "There's something...the air of a funeral home around here. What's wrong, Percy?"

At the words "funeral home," Percy's jaw tightened, his gaze fell to the porch, and he swallowed thickly. "Nothing, Nico," Percy whispered, his voice tight and fragile.

Grover stepped forward and grabbed Percy's shoulders. "Look at me, Percy," he commanded, lightly shaking his friend. "Look me in the eye and say nothing is wrong. I can feel it. This...The last time I felt this from you, you thought your mother was dead. Grief – deep, mind-numbing grief. Is your mother okay? What happened?"

Percy looked up, and Jason could see tears shining in his friend's eyes. "Mom's fine, Grover. There's nothing wrong with her."

Grover gave Percy a pleading look and let out a relieved breath. "That's good. That's good. But there's something. Look, man, why don't you and Annabeth come over tonight for supper? You can play with the kids-"

Percy suddenly jerked from Grover's grasp and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "No. No, Grover. Not tonight. We can't come play with...play with..." He dropped all efforts at speaking and stalked to the end of the porch and grabbed the railing. Jason could see Percy's arms and shoulders as they began to shake, and then they heard a shuddering gasp. And really, Jason wasn't sure that he had ever heard such an awful sound in all his days.

Hazel was the first one over to Percy. Somehow that little woman pushed the son of Poseidon around until his back was to the railing, and without even asking what was weighing on him, she just wrapped her arms around him, pulled his head to her shoulder, and held him there. The man was quaking all over in an effort to not break down, which he was failing at.

Jason didn't really know what to do. Grover had gone over to Percy, so the others followed, except Juniper, Calypso, and Piper who had all gone into the house to search for Annabeth, fearful that she was deathly ill in there somewhere. Hazel was murmuring some kind of soft lullaby sounding song, something in Creole. Grover was crying outright, overwhelmed by the emotions he was feeling through the empathy link with Percy. Frank brought over a lawn chair and opened it up then helped steer Percy into it. Once they got him seated, Percy buried his face in his hands and sat there with the most defeated posture they had ever seen on him. Everything about him seemed to slump and sag into himself. The shoulder of Hazel's shirt was wet with Percy's tears and what looked a like a smear of blood where Jason could only assume Percy had bitten his lip to keep from crying aloud.

"Percy, man, you got to talk to us," Jason finally said. "We're your friends, Annabeth's friends. We want to help."

Percy just sat there. He didn't move a muscle, and Jason was just beginning to wonder if the guy had even heard him when someone moved across the porch and knelt down in front of Percy. Annabeth placed her hand on his arm. "Percy, we've got to tell them."

Percy's head jerked up so fast, Jason was afraid he might have given himself whiplash. "Annabeth. You're supposed to be resting."

"Percy, I'll be fine. I've been healed ever since we got home, and I ate that ambrosia. You know that."

And then there was a silent conversation, something Percy and Annabeth were known for doing. After a moment, Percy leaned back a bit, and answered, "If you're sure."

She nodded. "Yes, I'm sure, and look at yourself. You need this, too. You know they need to know."

Percy stayed silent. Then Grover spoke up, "I can help tell them, Percy. I've figured it out. I've suspected it for awhile, to be honest, but I didn't want to force you talk about it until you were ready, either of you."

Percy looked over at his oldest friend. "Thanks, G-man," relief obvious in his voice.

Everyone settled onto the porch, waiting to hear whatever the Jacksons had to say. There was silence for a moment, as Percy and Annabeth gripped each others' hands with a death grip. Jason hadn't seen it with his own eyes, but he imagined that that was the exact same grip the two had used when dangling over the pit of Tartarus all those years ago.

At last, Percy spoke. "We ticked off Hera, years ago, during the war with the Titans. Things didn't get any better after her little game of switch the leaders during the Giant War. And, well, she apparently never got over it, and it has become a war in itself that she has undeniably...won..." His voice trailed off, and though Jason didn't really understand what Percy was implying, his gut said that the queen of the gods had done something unforgivable.

Annabeth opened her mouth to clarify everything several times, but she seemed quite unable to speak after having gone to the trouble of convincing Percy that they needed to, and Percy had clearly said all he was able to say for the time. Finally, Grover took up the conversation. "What Percy is trying to say is that Hera has made it clear that she will not allow them to have children. I don't really know the details-"

"Three miscarriages," Percy interrupted, his voice cracking on the last word.

"And a hysterectomy," Annabeth added in a pained whisper before dissolving into tears.

And suddenly it all came together for Jason and everyone else. The odd, quiet moments when the kids would laugh and run by. The awkward laughs and strained smiles whenever anyone would tease them about having children. The shear amount of spoiling that Percy and Annabeth seemed to insist on doing with every one of the kids that the group of friends had. The fighting. The weight-loss. The stress. Everything. Hera had done this to them, had taken their dreams of a family and single-handedly turned them into nightmares. She had broken them in a way that not even Tartarus had accomplished, and all because of a decade-old slight from a couple of teenagers. Jason had half a mind to storm Olympus right then on behalf of his friends.

Percy had instantly knelt down next to Annabeth, trying to comfort her. When that proved fruitless, he helped her stand and go back into the house. Everyone glanced at one another and silently decided to stay to see if either one of them would come back. Within a few minutes, Percy did come back. He had on wrinkled but clean jeans, a fresh shirt, and was running a comb through his hair. He sat down in the lawn chair heavily. "Annabeth is asleep. She really has only slept in spurts since...since coming home from the hospital."

"What happened, Percy?" Frank asked, almost pleading.

Percy looked around at each of them. He sighed and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes for a moment. Then, he took a deep breath and began to explain. He told them about all three pregnancies, not in great detail, but they got the gist. He told them about the miscarriages. He explained the hysterectomy as best as he could. And he explained why they had never said anything: how the miscarriages all seemed to happen at the same time as big, good news in the others' lives, how they didn't want to upset everyone when they were at their happiest or cause them undo guilt, how that in some way they were just hoping that if they didn't say anything, then maybe it wouldn't be real that this was Hera's doing, that she was causing them such pain. He then explained, though, how none of their sacrifices worked, how they had tried with each pregnancy to appeal to the goddess and apologize through sacrifices, offerings, and prayers, all to no avail.

And then, he'd looked at them, grief and guilt marring his features, aging him. "We can't be the people you put in your wills to be the guardians of your children. Jason, you and Piper need to find someone else who can do it. We can't...We can't risk it."

"Surely, she wouldn't do that," Juniper defended.

Percy looked at her sadly. "Maybe she wouldn't, but we don't know that for certain. It's the biggest reason we don't even consider adoption. Besides, bringing a mortal child into our lives seems foolish at best, and trying to adopt another demigod child is just stupid and would get us blasted by whichever god or goddess was that child's parent. But really, Hera's not just the goddess of pregnancy and childbirth. She the goddess of family, and it's clear, she doesn't want us to have one. We can't do that, risk her killing a child because we selfishly want to be parents."

Jason wanted to argue, but Percy was right. Hera was unpredictable and vengeful. Her treatment of Hercules, Hephaestus, and even his own mother proved that. She wouldn't limit herself in her efforts to keep Percy and Annabeth childless. What's one more dead mortal, no matter how innocent, to the queen of the gods?

"It's not selfish to want to be parents, Percy," Piper replied.

Percy gazed off the size of the porch. "It is if it's getting people killed, Piper, and we've got a death count of three already."

"Hera's being unreasonable," Hazel countered. "None of this is your fault. Neither of you wanted to lose those babies."

Percy just sat there, head hanging low, tracing patterns on the arm of his lawn chair.

"The gods are often cruel," Calypso offered. Percy looked up at that and met her eyes. "Hazel is correct, Percy. This heartache, this punishment does not fit your crime. It is Hera who is wrong, who is being unfair." The Titan held Percy's gaze. It was one of those rare moments where they all were reminded that Calypso was ancient and powerful and had experienced more than her share of heartache at the hands of the gods. "You need sleep, Percy Jackson, rest for your weary soul."

And then she was singing in an ancient language of the Titans, something soft and low. Jason began to feel drowsy, but Percy almost instantly leaned back in the chair, his eyes closing, his body relaxing. He was in a deep sleep within minutes. He looked younger without all the grief and pain weighing him down.

"Frank, Jason, bring him inside. He won't wake," Calypso ordered. The two lifted up their friend, who was entirely too light. They carefully got him to his room and on the bed beside Annabeth who was fitfully sleeping. Calypso had followed them, and she walked over to Annabeth and sang the same song. Annabeth's tossing, turning, and whimpering stopped. Her breathing evened out, and she was soon resting peacefully beside Percy.

The three stepped out of the bedroom, closing the door noiselessly behind them and found everyone else in the open living room and kitchen. Hazel was peaking through cabinets and the freezer making a list. Piper had started putting away clean dishes. Nico was running water to wash the few dirty ones that were sitting on the counter, most of them still at least half-full of food that had been abandoned. Leo and Grover were straightening the living room. Juniper was sorting what looked like at least a week's worth of laundry, and Will was going through the medicine cabinet, making his own list.

In no time, Jason and Frank were headed out the front door with the lists and instructions to buy everything on them before coming back to the beach house. They ran the errand quickly, and when they returned, Hazel was busy preparing ingredients for her famous gumbo. The windows all through the house, other than the master bedroom were open, letting a fresh breeze blow in through the curtains. A load of laundry was going in the washing machine, and the dishes were being dried and put away. The house, which Nico had pointed out, that had felt like a funeral home before was feeling and smelling fresher and more alive already. Jason could even smell lemon dusting polish.

They all worked for the next couple of hours cleaning the house, folding laundry, and even attending to the little front yard and picking up driftwood and sticks off the beach in the back. At last, though, the Graces and the Underwoods had to go to pick up their children from Mellie and Coach Hedge. Nico and Will had leave because Will had an early shift at the New Greece Clinic, and Nico had homework for his college classes. Frank, Hazel, Leo, and Calypso, though, all offered to stay until Percy and Annabeth woke up and got some food in them. The others promised to check in on their friends over the next several days.

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Percy and Annabeth were both back at work the following Monday. Annabeth made it half a day at the office before coming home to finish her work from there. She continued to do her work like that for the rest of the week. Percy stayed his entire day at the aquarium. However, his boss made sure that his workload was light and was away from the summer visitors as much as possible. After about another week, though, everything was back to normal.

Back in New Greece, their friends came and checked on them daily, bringing them food, even when it was unnecessary. Will and Calypso kept a careful watch on their health, making sure that they were actually eating and getting plenty of sleep and exercise. And for nearly three weeks, no one brought over their kids, which as much as Percy and Annabeth loved Chuck, Ava, Oakley, and baby Rose, they were grateful to their friends for keeping the kids away for a time.

They did miss the little tykes, though, and it was Annabeth who eventually called everyone, inviting them and their children over for dinner and a sunset campfire on the beach, complete with smores. After the meal, Percy played with the kids in the surf, having a splash war with Chuck, Ava, and Oakley and creating bubbles that Jason blew up and around the sky to the delight of the older kids and the amazement of Rose. Annabeth showed the kids how to roast marshmallows on sticks until they were perfect in color and gooey-ness, and she cuddled Rose and blew raspberries on her pink belly until the baby giggled and squirmed.

And when everyone had left for the evening, their kids asleep on shoulders, each with a new knitted blanket from Annabeth draped over them, Percy and Annabeth sat on the shore, leaning on one another, genuinely happy for the first time in months. The worst was finally over.

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It was a year later at the annual Camps Jupiter and Half-Blood reunion week. Calypso had given birth to Sammy the second in May. Piper had announced in June that she was pregnant with their second baby. Frank had proposed to Hazel the night before at the camp bonfire and sing-along, much to the delight of every Aphrodite and Venus child in the vicinity, and Nico was about to graduate college in two weeks. Really, life was good. The campers had all been sent to bed, so the older demigods had taken their families back into New Greece to the beach. A tent had been set up for the kids to sleep in, and the adults stayed up reminiscing and talking about the future.

Reyna noted that Percy and Annabeth seemed to be almost as happy as they had been before all the miscarriages, and Jason nodded in agreement as he twirled a twig between his fingers. "Yeah, they've come a long ways," he responded.

"Still, I wish there was something that could be done. They deserve a family, too," she said as she absentmindedly rubbed her own swollen belly. She had met a mortal named Ryan soon after the Giant War, and though they had had a slow start to their relationship, they had gotten married two years ago on the spur of the moment at a Las Vegas wedding chapel, of all places. But they were happy, and they were good for each other. Their baby was due in two months.

Jason nodded, again. "I agree, but I think they really are happy. Grover says they are, and if anyone would know, it's him, since he's got that empathy link with Percy and all."

Piper and Annabeth were heating up hot chocolate for everyone over the little campfire they had built to keep warm. They were both laughing and smiling. Percy was having a thumb war with Nico. The gods only knew how that had happened, but it was looking pretty intense. Then, Will snuck up behind Percy, who was about to win, jabbed him in the ribs with a stick, and Nico instantly caught Percy's thumb under his. Percy jumped up just as Will took off across the beach, laughing maniacally. Percy raised up a wave, when suddenly there was a flash fifty yards down the beach. The wave dropped, and everyone went silent, looking towards the flash. There stood Poseidon himself with some kind of bundle tucked in the crook of his arm.

Annabeth immediately walked over to Percy who was cautiously taking a few steps to his father. The sea god strode towards the group, specifically to Percy.

"Percy, I am glad to find you here," Poseidon said by way of greeting.

Percy grabbed Annabeth's hand. "Father. Is there something I can do for you?"

Poseidon shifted the bundle in his arm and met his son's gaze. "Actually, yes, I do have a favor to ask of you – and Annabeth," he added, meeting her eyes and nodding slightly.

Annabeth nodded back. "What is it, lord Poseidon?"

Instead of answering, the god looked back at Percy and held out the bundle. "This is your brother. His mother's name was Bailey Andrews. He was born two days ago, and sadly, she died in childbirth." Poseidon pressed the baby closer to Percy who reached out and took his brother from their father.

Percy gazed at the newborn for a moment before looking back up to Poseidon. "She died? What's going to happen to him?"

Poseidon never broke his gaze. "Yes, there were complications, and the mortals could do nothing for her. A uterine rupture, I believe they called it. The doctor said they were lucky they were able to save the baby. As far as what will happen to him, it's too dangerous for him to grow up in the foster care system of the mortal world, and though Camp Half-Blood is equipped to raise a baby, I thought that maybe it would be better all around if he were to be raised in an actual home, by a father and mother of sorts." He looked over at Annabeth, again.

A hush fell over the beach. Percy gripped the bundle a little tighter and swallowed. "You mean, you want us – Annabeth and I – to raise him, like be his...parents?"

Poseidon grinned a bit. "Well, I would still be his father, but you know how limited we gods are in our parental duties, and of course, he should know who his mother was when he's old enough to understand, but yes, I think you and Annabeth would raise him and love him well. And he would be safe here in New Greece. He could grow up knowing who and what he is."

Annabeth peeked over and pulled back the blanket a bit to better see the baby's face. "He's perfect, lord Poseidon," she whispered. "What's his name?"

"I've been calling him Andy, but his full name is Andrew Hali** Jackson."

Beside Jason, Piper squeaked with happiness. Hazel grabbed Leo's arm. Grover let out an excited bleat, and everyone broke out into grins, except Percy and Annabeth whose jaws dropped. Percy sank to the sand with a soft thud, still cradling the baby, and looked up at his father. "But Hera-"

"has been informed as to how foolish it would be to harm this child. I have even Athena's backing on this. If you two have done nothing else, you have proven what a powerful and, dare I say it, fearsome combination that can be. Hera is done retaliating against you and Annabeth, Percy," he answered gently.

Annabeth, in a burst of emotion, threw her arms around the sea god. "Thank you. Thank you so much. We'll take care of him and love him. I promise – I promise on-"

"I know," Poseidon interrupted with a chuckle as he hugged her back. "I know he is in good hands. There is no need for binding promises."

Annabeth stepped away from the god, tucked her hair behind her ear, and straightened her shirt. "Right, but truly, thank you, sir."

Percy tucked the baby into one arm and managed to stand back up. He passed Andy to Annabeth and also gave his father a hug. "Thank you," he whispered. "We won't let you or Andy down."

They pulled apart, and Poseidon grasped Percy's shoulder. "I know you won't, son. I must be going, now." He took his hand back and snapped his fingers. A small backpack appeared on the beach. "These are a few necessities. They should get you through the night, and there's some paperwork and also a little teddy bear his mother had bought for him and a picture of her. I also have tucked a short letter in there from me, telling him about his mother. I thought he would like to know more about her when he is older."

Percy reached down and took the bag. "Of course."

"Until next time, son." With a final bit of a wave, the god faded into sea mist and blew out into the ocean.

Percy turned to Annabeth who was looking at the baby in wonder. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his forehead to hers. They were both smiling, their eyes shining. "Percy, we have a baby," Annabeth whispered. A few tears leaked out from her eyes and started making their way down her cheeks.

Percy wiped them away. "We have a baby," he agreed. Then, he looked back at the tiny child sleeping peacefully in Annabeth's arms and laughed. "We have a baby."

Everyone came rushing over. "Come on, guys! You've got to let us see! We let you see ours," Leo exclaimed. Piper slugged him, but she was still the first one to reach out to hold Andy.

Annabeth laughed, handed over the baby, and wiped her eyes. Everyone passed him around, cooing and oohing and awwing. Eventually, someone (Jason thought it was Rachel.) pulled off the tiny beanie on his head to reveal a head full of black curly hair. "Would you look at that!" remarked Juniper. "He won't even look adopted, not that it matters."

"I wonder what his mother looked like," stated Will. Annabeth started digging in the backpack and soon pulled out a snapshot of a lovely young woman with strawberry blonde curly hair and brown eyes. She was holding up a surf board, leaning next to it. She looked petite but with a slim athletic figure. They passed around the picture, and everyone compared the baby to his mother. It was decided that probably the most prominent feature he got from her was the curly hair. Soon, however, he started to squirm and whimper, nudging around for food, so he was passed back to Annabeth who had found a full bottle in the bag. She began to feed to him.

It was nearing midnight, so the others began to grab their own children and things and head back to wherever they were going to sleep. Then it was just Percy, Annabeth, and Andy sitting on the beach beside the dying campfire and the empty tent. Andy finished eating quickly, burped easily, and was back to sleep in a matter of minutes, snuggled comfortably on Annabeth's shoulder.

Percy wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her temple. "We're a family," he whispered as the waves gently broke on the sand.

"A family," she agreed.

And this time, Percy was certain that no one could take this joy from them.

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A/N: I've seen a few stories around where Hera messes with Percy and Annabeth's ability to have children when they're all grown up, and I thought it was an interesting idea – and not entirely out of character for everyone's favorite goddess of cows. So anyway, this is my depressing take on it, but it's not unrealistic either. Many couples suffer from infertility and miscarriages and spend thousands of dollars trying to either get pregnant, stay pregnant, or adopt a baby, and many times, those efforts fall through, even the adoption attempts. It's a very tough thing that has ended many marriages, relationships, and even lives.

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO or HoO.

*In HoO, Coach Hedge says he married Mellie in May, and little Chuck was born in August. Nothing seemed to indicate that she was pregnant before the marriage took place, though, it is possible. However, the gestation period of a goat actually is about four months, so I'd say that's what was going on in canon. And I decided to go with that in this story, hence why the Underwoods announced the pregnancy in January and had a baby in April.

**This name is pronounced Hay-lee. It's of Greek origin meaning "the sea." And it is a boy's name and spelling, apparently.


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